Fatimo Bello retains singles title at ITTF Africa Western Region Championship

Fatimo Bello led the Nigerian contingent from the front at the ITTF Africa Western Region Championship at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos by winning two gold medals on the final day of proceedings.

Fatimo Bello retained her women’s singles title after a comprehensive 3-0 win over compatriot Aminat Fashola in their all-Nigerian final.

Earlier in the day, Fatimo Bello had won the women’s doubles gold medal alongside Abosede Odusanya against the duo of Udoaka Hope and Oku Vivian after a 3-1 win in the final of the event.

In the men’s doubles event, the Nigerian duo of Orok Etim and Amadi Omeh pulled off a sensational come back against Ghanaian players Derek Abrefa and Emmanuel Commey to send the Ghanaians home without any medals.

After going 2-0 down, Nigeria’s Orok and Omeh looked down and out, but they showed a lot of character and nerve to recover from 2-0 down to win 3-2 to ensure that the gold medal remains in the country.

In the men’s singles event, Akanbi Rilwan picked up the gold medal after an impressive win against compatriot Azeez Solanke in the final. Rilwan finished with a 4-3 win after an impressive showing against Solanke. He won 7-11, 11-6; 6-11; 11-8; 10-12; 11-4; 11-8